Category Archives: Senior Living

Post navigation

As the nation remembers the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., here’s a special note from Luanne Fisher, Liberty Lutheran President and CEO:

The great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”.

The Community Service Club at Liberty’s Paul’s Run senior living community admirably honors Dr. King’s vital call to action. “Our mission is to support ministries that provide food for those facing food insecurity,” says Julie Stumpf, Director of Spiritual Care.

The Community Service Club, which includes residents and staff, prepares 300-400 sandwiches each month for the Social Ministry of New Creation Lutheran Church. “The sandwiches are picked up by congregational members and taken to homeless individuals who live under bridges and along railroad tracks in the vicinity of North Philadelphia,” says Julie.

The monthly meal preparation continues as the Club prepares an additional 400 sandwiches for St. Francis Inn, a ministry that serves meals to some of the most vulnerable individuals and families in Philadelphia. Additionally, a group of Community Service members prepare 100 full-course dinners monthly for Jane Adamms Place, an emergency homeless shelter in Philadelphia for mothers and their children.

Julie says that it’s greatly rewarding for residents and staff to participate in efforts that help to strengthen and support vulnerable individuals and families. Moreover, both residents and staff members enjoy being part of a large community of caring people that encompasses not only Paul’s Run, but volunteers from St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, New Creation Lutheran Church, St Francis Inn, and a wide variety of generous food donors that include the Core Group, Whole Foods, Outback Steakhouse, Starbucks, and Weiss Markets.

The initiative at Paul’s Run to support people who cope with food insecurity has been steadily growing over the last few years. The preparation of about 100 meals each month has now grown to 600-900 meals monthly. It’s amazing to witness how this tremendous effort has taken root and awakens a strong sense of purpose and meaning for so many who are involved.

Thank you to Julie and the Community Service Club for the truly impactful and meaningful way you honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King’s Day of Service—on the actual day of this special observance, as well as many days throughout the year.

At Liberty Lutheran, we are keeping a close watch on the proposed changes to the United States tax code. While the changes have yet to be finalized, there are aspects being proposed that may affect the residents and members of our communities.

For the seniors in our care, there are two major changes that could affect their wellbeing and their carefully constructed budgets that were planned years in advance.

Any proposed changes in Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare, services many of our residents rely on, would mean more out of pocket expenses. Changes in medical deduction allowances affect seniors disproportionately as many have come to rely on those deductions.

Combined, these changes could be devastating to our residents who live on fixed-incomes. As they exhaust their savings much earlier than ever expected, this could lead to more residents depending on Liberty’s benevolent care program.

There are two other ways to make a gift and save on taxes by the end of the year.

Consider donating appreciated stock, bonds or mutual fund shares, which allows you to take a charitable deduction for the fair market value of the stock and avoid the capital gains tax that you would pay if you sold the shares and then donated the proceeds to Liberty Lutheran. Click here for more information.

Some people have found that a convenient way to support Liberty Lutheran is through a tax benefit known as the Charitable IRA Rollover. For those who are 70½ years of age or older, this benefit allows you to give up to $100,000 from an IRA to a charity, with the donation counting towards your minimum required distribution. The benefit – the donor can deduct the full amount of the donation from gross income for tax purposes. Click here for more information on IRAs.

We are truly grateful for your support and friendship, and hope you will consider Liberty Lutheran Services among your year-end charitable giving decisions.

Holiday weight gain may seem inevitable, however there are ways you can win the battle of the bulge this season. There’s no need to pack on extra pound says Jamie Hernandez, M.A, M.A, certified health coach & hypnotherapist at The Becoming Center.

Here are Jamie’s Five Tips for Eating Healthy During the Holidays.

1 – Hydrate – Drink lots of water. Drinking water before meals can fill the stomach so you don’t eat as much. Staying hydrated also helps you to feel healthy and energetic!

2 – Move – Plan time for exercise. Stick to your current exercise routine, or if you don’t have one, now is the time to start. Even if it means taking a walk with family after a meal, or going to the gym with your spouse. Get moving!

3 – Slow Down – Eat slowly, chew thoroughly. Chewing your food not only helps to slow down your eating, but it also releases digestive enzymes that allow you to digest your food better and absorb more of the nutrition. By eating slower, you can pay attention to how you are feeling and will be able to stop when you are actually full. A good rule of thumb is to put down you fork for 30-60 seconds in between each bite. This also allows you to engage in conversation with your loved ones.

4 – Portions – Use a smaller plate, and fill it up with salad and vegetables first. If cakes, pies and cookies are your downfall, offer to share a slice with someone when deserts are served.

5 – Sleep – Get appropriate sleep. The holidays can be a busy time and you may get less sleep or less productive sleep if you are feeling stressed. When you are tired, you tend to go for fatty, calorie-laden comfort foods. Sticking to a good sleep schedule, and doing something to calm your mind before you go to sleep, like meditation, will help you to make healthier food choices the next day.

Thanksgiving is a time when we traditionally pause to consider everything we appreciate about our lives and those that surround us. It also reminds us that there are many worthy causes that need our support.

After you finish your “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” holiday shopping, please consider giving back to your community and helping so many in need with a gift to Liberty Lutheran on what is known as “Giving Tuesday” – Tuesday, November 28.

Help Bring Nature’s Beauty to Seniors
Nature is medicine for the soul. At Paul’s Run, nature abounds in our gardens and outdoor spaces. Located throughout our property, these specially designed and maintained areas inspire and bring joy to our residents.
Help us raise $3,000 to delight the hearts and souls of the Paul’s Run community by sustaining and improving our gardens – The Friendship Garden, The Secret Garden, and the Liberty Walk Garden.You can make your gift here.

Help Improve the Health & Wellbeing of West Philly Seniors
Health is a blessing, never to be taken for granted. With your help, the West Philadelphia Senior Community Center can save another life.
LCFS’ West Philadelphia Senior Community Center stands as an integral resource for older adults in West Philadelphia, providing services to one of the city’s most underserved communities. Daily we are improving lives through nutrition and wellness programs.You can make your gift here.

Liberty Lutheran and our Family of Services are proud to join other organizations, charities, community centers, businesses, families, students and others from across the world for the #GivingTuesday philanthropic movement.

You can follow the progress of our #GivingTuesday campaigns by following Liberty Lutheran on Twitter @LibertyLutheran.

On November 21st, members of The Becoming Center donated 527 Christmas gifts for Operation Christmas Child, an effort managed by the international relief organization Samaritan’s Purse. The effort calls on volunteers to pack items in neatly wrapped shoeboxes, which are sent to children in crisis areas throughout the world. The Becoming Center’s more than 1,300 members include members of the public, and residents and staff of Artman, an Ambler senior community center.

“The holiday season provides an opportunity to reflect on how fortunate we are, and to give back. Our members and staff do a great job of coordinating everything, and our community is thrilled to be part of such a wonderful outreach program,” said Anthony Byers, director of The Becoming Center. “Operation Christmas Child brings joy to children who face extraordinary challenges on a daily basis, through no fault of their own. We are grateful to be able to help those who are less fortunate.”

In 2017, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoebox gifts to reach another 12 million children in countries like Peru, the Philippines, Rwanda and Ukraine. Nearly 11.5 million shoebox gifts were collected worldwide in 2016, with more than 9.1 million collected in the U.S. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child, the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind, has collected and delivered more than 146 million shoebox gifts to children in more than 160 countries and territories.

“Simple gifts like these make such a difference in the lives of children in need. Beyond meeting basic needs, a shoebox gift can give a child hope, love and even perhaps the opportunity to attend school,” said Lucas Zellers, media relations coordinator for Samaritan’s Purse.

Learn more about the Becoming Center and see our list of both land and aquatic classes at BecomingCenter.org.

There’s no need for store bought rolls on Thanksgiving when fresh baked rolls are so easy to make. Craig Hamilton, executive chef at Liberty Lutheran’s Village at Penn State has a family recipe to share.

“This is a family recipe handed down from my great-great grandmother and has been at Thanksgiving and Christmas each and every year for decades. The joke with the rolls is that they are the last thing to go in the oven and we always have to wait to eat because, as my grandmother, Jackie Douty, always says, ‘We will eat when the darn rolls are ready!’ This was my grandmother’s famous saying.”

Combine all wet ingredients together.
Add flour and mix together till dry.
Work with hands with oil until your form a big flour like ball.
Work until stiff.
Grease a large bowl and place dough in and cover with wet towel.
Let the ball of dough double in size.
Knead once more and let rise again.
Knead into little balls and let stand.
Bake in oven at 425’F for about 20 minutes turning only once.
Take out and rub butter on to of rolls and let sit for 10 minutes.
Serve while still warm.

Learn more about The Village at Penn State and how you can enjoy a carefree lifestyle in a beautiful, maintenance-free residence, complete with exquisite dining, and the comfort and health care security you deserve. Share in the fun with a group of like-minded friends and visit us at RetireatPennState.org.

“Collaboration is when magic is made by more than one person.”
~ Michael Urie, actor, director and producer ~

You couldn’t find a more apt saying in regard to our epic mosaic project, The Seasons of Our Lives. Over the last year, this exceptional endeavor has brought together residents, families, staff, and community friends who have been joining their creative energy to develop a timeless masterpiece.

You can find them gleefully absorbed in rolling and cutting clay, molding tiles, imprinting designs, and painting on dazzling color once their handiwork is fired in a kiln. Side-by-side they work—residents, their children, and grandchildren, student groups and staff, youngsters and the young-at-heart.

It is solely because of the kindness of our donors that we’ve been able to embark on this project, which continues to bring joy to so many people—especially our residents. Even after the last mosaic panel is installed, the fellowship, fulfillment, and vitality of this shared endeavor will long be remembered.

“Many pieces have come together to make the whole and there’s just been so much imagination. It’s amazing what residents have come up with—things I wouldn’t even think of such as new ways to handle the tools or new ways to look at the clay. It’s been wonderful!” says Katia McGuirk, the professional ceramic artist who is spearheading the project.

Like Katia, family members have been delighted to see how the making of the mosaic has awakened or rekindled creativity within their loved ones. “Mom is an artist and to do a project like this is really exciting. It’s really nice to know this is something that’s going to be so lasting,” says one resident’s daughter. Another family echoes this sentiment, saying, “It makes us feel good that Mom is such a part of this and really enjoying it. And, she’s getting good therapy on her hands!”

One family witnessed an unexpected, but very pleasant surprise. “Before Dad came to Artman he would have had no interest in doing something like this—but he’s enjoying it! He’s using his hands and making some pretty cool things.”

It is your kind interest and support that has helped us to so far raise $29,000 to fund the making of this extraordinary mosaic. We’ve now reached the final leg of this beloved project and need to raise just $15,000 more so that our community can enjoy this artistic treasure for years to come.

A special message from Katrina Wise,Executive Director of Paul’s Run Retirement Community:

What does a garden mean to you? The English philosopher Francis Bacon saw the garden as the purest of human pleasures. American writer and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson said that earth laughs in flowers. And French painter Claude Monet believed his garden to be his most beautiful masterpiece.

ToPaul’s Run resident Angie the garden provides the perfect backdrop to friends and fellowship. “Being able to enjoy the outdoors with friends lifts your spirit,” she says. Paul’s Run resident Emma champions the outdoors as an antidote to bolster well-being, and suggests one can get a daily dose of happiness by walking in the garden.

The garden means harmony, joy and rejuvenation to Angie, Emma and all of our beloved residents, who now, because of your continued interest and support, can enjoy a new outdoor space known as the Friendship Garden.

This enchanting refuge—which envelopes a serene walking path, lovely flowers, and soothing water feature—is a tranquil space where residents and family members can meditate, pray, reminisce, or simply soak up the pleasures of nature.

“I am more myself in a garden than anywhere else on earth.” ~Author and gardening expert Doug Green

Julie Stumpf, Director of Spiritual Life, reflects these beautiful words when she describes the Friendship Garden. “Residents are commenting on the garden’s appeal. It has elements of stillness, yet also movement of life that is represented by a gentle fountain.”
“This garden is a special place—a place that engages the senses and the spirit through flowers, colors, and the sound of water. It is apart from the busyness of the community and its high traffic areas. Here residents can experience the divinity of nature in a space that is organic and still,” says Julie.

Liberty Lutheran Services has been awarded a 2017 Top Workplaces honor by Philly.com, ranking top ten in the category for large employers.

The Top Workplaces award is based on a comprehensive survey that asked the employees of each participating organization—there were 182 organizations in all—to evaluate how well their organization:

Aligns with its mission and upholds a culture that promotes collaboration and espouses strong values and ethics

Operates effectively and remains open to new ideas and different points of view

Appreciates, communicates to, and inspires employees

Successfully manages and genuinely cares about employees

Doug Claffey, who leads WorkplaceDynamics, the research firm that administered the survey, explained that the survey measures the strengths of an organization’s culture through the people who know it best. “To be a Top Workplace, organizations must meet our strict standards for organizational health. And who better to ask about work life than the people who live the culture every day—the employees,” he says.

“Time and time again, our research has proven that what’s most important to them is a strong belief in where the organization is headed, how it’s going to get there, and the feeling that everyone is in it together. Without this sense of connection, an organization doesn’t have a shot at being named a Top Workplace,” added Claffey.

Employees from every member of the Liberty family of services participated in the Top Workplaces 2017 survey. Not only did they answer survey questions, but many chose to write in their own comments when asked to describe why they love their job. Here are some of their remarks:

I love my job because:

I am able to improve and grow in my position and my knowledge base.

My boss shows me how to learn and grow, and encourages me to better myself. I work with an amazing team and could not ask for better people to work with.

I get to make a difference in people’s lives.

I feel like I am appreciated and valued.

Friendly staff. Caring managers. I believe I make a difference here.

My colleagues are fabulous and we get to interact with the individuals that we serve.

I am supported by management and my team members to perform at my best ability. I am given the resources to practice with integrity that best meets my patients’ needs and gives me a sense of pride.

It is a positive work environment where we strive to grow the business but understand the importance of enjoying your job. We work as a team and support each other in good and bad times so we all achieve success.

I make a difference in the lives of the residents and have an amazing nursing staff that I get to be a part of.

I can make a difference in the life of seniors.

I feel that I am supported and valued for the work that I do. Upper management does care about their employees even when difficult decisions need to be made. Much thought and care goes into the decision-making process.

The Red Hat Ladies of Artman are a special group; each month, they meet to socialize and find ways to help in the community. During February, the Ladies decided to help those who could not help themselves; cats and dogs living at the Bucks County SPCA.
Together the Ladies organized a donation drive and made dog beds, blankets, cat toys and more for the benefit of the SPCA. On Monday, February 27, the Red Hat Ladies made the trip to Lakasha to hand deliver the donations and meet some of the furry friends who are waiting for adoption.